President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Sarah Palin. One’s a naive, oil-obsessed, holy war-calling, religious extremist, and the other is an Iranian. Here’s the Lovesick Billy take on this dynamic duo:

I’ve wanted a Smart car ever since I saw one in Europe, eight years ago (where it’s a Mercedes-Benz), so when Smart debuted in the US with their $99 reservation program, I signed up right away. After a year of anticipation I learned that with Smart, the road to Passion fortwo doesn’t always end in ecstasy.

It’s easy to love the Smart. It’s beautifully designed, looks like fun, parks anywhere, preempts backseat drivers, comes beautifully equipped for $15K. We wanted it because of the real 37 mpg. We all love that. Here’s what you won’t like about it and the path to getting into it.

Jay Smooth of illdoctrine.com posted this response to the RNC, which, in contrast to the inspiring, positive DNC, was a hypernationalist, fearmongering pep rally. So what else is new? Jay Smooth and Ill Doctrine. I can’t get enough of it. Check it out.

A neo-con, short-term governor of Alaska, who I think appeared in ZZ Top’s “Legs” video in the 80s. I didn’t think it made sense until I dug in about the voting records of other possible Rep women: the incredibly capable Elizabeth Dole would seem a good, seasoned choice, but being just as old as McCain, might not instill us with much confidence. Lisa Murkowski, also GOP and Alaskan, has served on committees for energy, parks, education, and foreign relations and is candid about her eagerness to drill for oil, but she’s too moderate on abortion. Ditto Kay Hutchison on abortion. Ditto Susan Collins on abortion. Olympia Snowe reaches across the aisle too much, working with Dems to minimize Bush’s tax cuts, and disagreeing here and there about Iraq. Elizabeth Joyce is too busy answering hate mail and being courted for her vote. So that leaves right-wing MILF, Sarah Palin.

Sam and I were listening to NPR this weekend when we heard a woman say, “I am sick and tired that every black man with an education is called ‘uppity,'” or something pretty close to that.

We guffawed in total agreement. Show me a white Ivy Leaguer who has been labeled as such. It may be my upbringing in the south, but uppity has always been understood as a code word; always the adjective that precedes a very specific epithet. If I know this, then you know the McCain camp does.